The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

The next morning, the news that Ye Sheng was going to the Hundred Herbs Garden to work as a spirit plant grower quickly spread throughout the entire sect's miscellaneous service area.

When Ye Sheng walked out of the hut, preparing to go to the abandoned pill room for the final handover, the servants he encountered on the way looked at him differently.

There was envy, jealousy, and awe, but more than anything, there was a desire to curry favor.

They knew very well that from this day forward, this young man who had only recently arrived at the sect was no longer on the same level as them.

At the entrance of the waste pill room, several servants were cleaning up the pill residue, their movements numb, their eyes and noses running from the stench. When they saw Ye Sheng, they immediately stopped what they were doing, bowed, and addressed him as "Senior Brother Ye".

Ye Sheng nodded slightly, then walked straight towards the detached house that belonged to the steward.

The door was ajar, and a leisurely humming sound came from inside.

Ye Sheng knocked lightly on the door, and after receiving a low reply, he pushed the door open and entered.

At this moment, Pang Fu was leaning back in a grand chair, holding a purple clay teapot in his hands, squinting his eyes, looking quite content.

When he saw Ye Sheng come in, he didn't even lift his eyelids, and just gave a faint "hmm".

"Manager Pang, I've come today to say goodbye," Ye Sheng said loudly, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"Farewell?"

Pang Fu put down the teapot, finally opened his small eyes, and said with a forced smile, "Leave? Ye Sheng, did I say you could leave?"

He stood up, his massive body resembling a mountain of flesh, and approached Ye Sheng step by step. Instantly, a pressure unique to Foundation Establishment cultivators, like an invisible mountain, enveloped the entire hut.

"Kid, do you think that just because you've climbed up to Senior Sister Liu Qing, you can look down on me, Pang Fu?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling undercurrent as he said fiercely, "Let me tell you, in this outer sect servant area, I, Pang Fu, can make anyone live or die at will!"

Ye Sheng's expression remained unchanged, but his internal energy was already quietly circulating in his dantian to resist the oppressive force.

"What makes you say that, Steward Pang?" Ye Sheng looked at him calmly and asked, "I have always respected you, Steward Pang. How could you say I don't respect you?"

"Respect?" Pang Fu sneered, leaned close to Ye Sheng, and lowered his voice, saying each word carefully, "Then explain to me how Du Qiang died?"

A glint flashed in his eyes as he stared intently at Ye Sheng, as if he already knew the answer.

"Young man, I don't know what the manager is talking about." Ye Sheng met his gaze, his eyes frank, and said, "Didn't the manager already state last night in front of everyone that Du Qiang's death was an accident, caused by an insect infestation?"

"Heh, an insect plague?"

Pang Fu's fat face jiggled, his smile growing increasingly sinister. He said in a deep voice, "Do you think I'm a fool? The Bone-Eating Beetles are poisonous, but they only attack inanimate objects or those whose life force has ceased. Du Qiang's sternum was broken by you this afternoon; although he was seriously injured, it shouldn't have been fatal. How could he have 'accidentally' ended up in the third pile of dregs and then 'accidentally' been bitten to death by these insects?"

He paused, his voice growing increasingly chilling: "When I examined Du Qiang's body last night, I found, besides insect bite marks, a very faint trace of 'Bone-Rotting Flower' powder remaining on his collar. This stuff isn't found in the Recycled Pill Room. Ye Sheng, what else do you have to say?"

Ye Sheng's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected the fat man to be so observant, noticing even such a subtle detail.

The Bone-Rotting Flower was the highly poisonous plant he had collected in the Blackwater Swamp.

That day, after severely injuring Du Qiang, he secretly sprinkled the powdered bone-rotting flower on Du Qiang's body, thinking that he would get away with it, but the old fox still noticed.

Seeing Ye Sheng remain silent, Pang Fu thought he had caught him red-handed, and his smug expression grew even stronger.

"What? You're speechless?"

He reached out and patted Ye Sheng's shoulder heavily, using a bit of his spiritual power in the force.

"Kid, you're ruthless and smart. But you shouldn't have thought about finding another job before you'd even satisfied me."

"Let me tell you, if this matter of you killing your fellow disciple is reported to the Enforcement Hall, not only will Du Tao not let you off the hook, but even if Liu Qing intervenes, she won't be able to protect you!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Sheng fell silent.

At the same time, he could feel that Pang Fu's hand, which was resting on his shoulder, was sending a chilling spiritual energy trying to penetrate his body.

"This is a warning, and also a test," Ye Sheng thought to himself.

To withstand it head-on? Absolutely impossible. How could a mere novice martial artist possibly contend with a cultivator of unfathomable strength?

Compromise? Even less likely. It would only embolden this fat man and give him even more leverage.

That being the case...

Ye Sheng suddenly raised his head, and the tense expression on his face instantly disappeared, replaced by a sense of grievance and helplessness.

He sighed deeply and said with a wry smile, "Steward Pang, do you really think... this young man wanted to leave on his own?"

This sudden change in emotion startled Pang Fudu.

What do you mean by that?

"Manager, you are unaware of something."

Ye Sheng looked troubled and said, "Last night I only managed to save Senior Sister Liu's spiritual plant by sheer luck. Who would have thought that Senior Sister Liu would... would insist that I become her personal spiritual plant husband because of this, and even said that if I didn't comply, she would find a way to expel me from the sect."

As he spoke, he secretly observed Pang Fu's expression and continued to embellish the story: "Manager, think about it. I'm just a new handyman, rootless and helpless. How could I dare offend Senior Sister Liu? She's the sect leader's personal disciple and a member of the Liu family of Qingyun City. If I don't comply, forget about staying in the sect; I might not even know how I died."

His statement portrayed him as a pitiful wretch forced by power and powerless to act, while subtly revealing Liu Qing's background and identity.

Upon hearing this, Pang Fu's expression changed, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his small eyes.

Liu Qing, a genius inner disciple in the late Foundation Establishment stage, personally taught by the sect leader, from the prestigious Liu family... each of these titles is extraordinary.

Although Pang Fu was a menial steward with some power in the outer sect, he was nothing compared to a true prodigy like Liu Qing.

Offend her? He wouldn't dare even if he had ten lives.

"So...that's how it is." The coldness on Pang Fu's face gradually faded, but his eyes still flickered uncertainly.

He naturally didn't believe Ye Sheng's words entirely; that kid was very cunning and was probably using Liu Qing's influence to suppress him.

But he also knew that what Ye Sheng said was probably true. Liu Qing, with her spoiled and arrogant nature, wouldn't bother asking a servant to do her bidding.

But he was really unwilling to let go of this new "tool for making money".

In reality, he was unaware that what Ye Sheng had just said was all made up.

Ye Sheng noticed Pang Fu's hesitation and immediately seized the opportunity, taking out a money pouch he had prepared beforehand and respectfully handing it over.

"Manager Pang, this is a little 'gain' I've made in the abandoned alchemy room over the past few months. It's nothing but a small token of my appreciation, and I hope you'll accept it."

Pang Fu took the money pouch, weighed it in his hand, and found it to be quite heavy, containing at least thirty taels of silver. A smile finally appeared on his face.

"Furthermore," Ye Sheng lowered his voice and leaned close to Pang Fu's ear, "Although I have gone to the Hundred Herbs Garden, my heart will always be with you, Steward. From now on, I am willing to give half of my monthly salary to you on time. I only ask that you continue to take care of me in the outer gate."

That was a very skillful way of speaking. It gave the other party a way out while also offering a benefit.

At this moment, Pang Fu's chubby face broke into a wide grin, and he patted Ye Sheng's shoulder heavily again, but this time the force was devoid of spiritual power and instead became incredibly affectionate.

"Hahaha! Good! Good lad! I knew you were a sensible person!"

He tucked the money pouch into his pocket, adopted a more familiar tone, and chuckled, "Little brother, don't worry. From now on, in the Hundred Herbs Garden, if anyone dares to cause you trouble, just mention my name. I have some influence there! Besides, now that you're Senior Sister Liu's personal spirit plant caretaker, I'm sure no one will dare to mess with you!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, manager."

Ye Sheng clasped his hands in a fist salute again, but secretly thought to himself: It seems I'm destined to pay this "protection fee" every month. But it doesn't matter. If it can bring me temporary peace and give me enough time to grow, this price is worth it.

"Alright, go ahead." Pang Fu waved his hand, in a great mood. "Don't delay Senior Sister Liu's visit."

"Yes." Ye Sheng bowed and left the small house.

The moment he turned around, the smile on Pang Fu's face vanished instantly, replaced by a deeper chill and greed.

He walked to the door, watched Ye Sheng's figure gradually disappear into the distance, and then looked back at the dilapidated little house where Ye Sheng and his brother lived, a hint of doubt flashing in his small eyes.

How could an ordinary sickly person take so long to recover? And how could a beginner martial artist know how to kill with poison?

These two brothers definitely have a secret. Pang Fu licked his lips, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth: Hmph, one day, I will dig you out.